Fox leads Bears' sectional hopes

DENNY SIMMONS / Courier & Press
Central High School running back Jaleel Fox, right, leads his team in rushing with 1,406 yards and 6.2 yards per carry.

Breakfast — check. Backpack — check. Football — check?

Not only has running back Jaleel Fox been carrying the ball each Friday night for the Bears, it was not unusual for him to tuck it under his arm before heading to Central each morning.

"I remember him carrying a football to school," coach Andy Owen said. "Sometimes he'd carry it to class and stuff.

"He wanted everybody to know, I guess, it was his turn to be the running back and he was going to take it seriously."

And on the field the junior has made a serious statement this year, rushing for 1,406 yards and 14 touchdowns including three scores in last week's sectional semifinal win against Harrison, which set up Friday's Class 4A Sectional 16 championship game.

No. 10 ranked Jasper (10-1) plays at Central (6-5) at 7 p.m.

It's a series that has produced a history of close games — a margin of four total points separated the two teams' 2006 and 2007 meetings — but has also marked the end of the Bears' season; Jasper has knocked Central out of the playoffs each of the past four and five of the past six years.

The Bears hope this year is different while using the same approach they have all season. Give it to Fox early and give it to Fox often.

Defenses have struggled to slow the 5-foot-11, 195-pound junior even when they know he's likely to get the ball. Owen knew coming into the year that Fox was the pick to take those handoffs, even when nobody yet knew who the back was saying he'd be a name to remember by the end of the year.

After spending his sophomore season on the junior varsity with some special teams cameos, Fox said he spent the offseason trying to get stronger.

"As soon as last season finished Jaleel was one of our most committed people in the weight room," Owen said.

It didn't take long to pay off; Fox ran for 95 yards in the first half of his season debut. Then, after recovering from a minor injury, had a stretch of four games through September and the first week of October where he rushed for 762 yards, going over 200 yards in a game three times.

Excited to be named the varsity starter and confident he could perform, Fox said he didn't expect those kind of results. "The offensive line made it happen, for one," he explained.

With seniors David Smith, Jared Buck, Ricky Branson, Clay Boylls and Ross Boeglin up front, there were plenty of holes to see.

"When I get the ball I see where I'm supposed to go and then I see the end zone," Fox said. "That's pretty much it."

Fox said he wants to have another game to prepare for when he heads to school next Monday — be it with or without a football in tow — and there's only one way to assure that. The Bears have to win Friday.

"When you've got a back that's pretty good, when they have good games you seem to have good games," Owen said. "Obviously we're hoping that Jaleel has a good game. We know he'll play hard."